National Geographic Society Ocean Exploration & Discovery 2025 Request for Proposals (up to $20,000) – YOA

Deadline: October 8, 2025

Submit your proposals for the National Geographic Society Ocean Exploration & Discovery 2025 Call. In 2022, a partnership between Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) and the National Geographic Society (the Society) was solid to advance ocean science and exploration. The objective of the partnership is to present early profession ocean scientists from all over the world the OPPORTUNITY to lead impactful initiatives that can discover, perceive and inform the safety of the ocean. This partnership additionally builds on each organizations’ commitments to help management growth within the ocean sciences and supply funding and entry to state-of-the-artwork analysis infrastructure.

Under this partnership, the Society and SOI are recruiting and supporting early profession scientists who can benefit from one berth area and the analysis infrastructure aboard SOI’s Falkor (too) analysis vessel throughout its 2026 season traversing the east coast of South America. Falkor (too) offers reducing-edge area for pioneering ocean analysis and expertise growth initiatives. The state-of-the-artwork analysis vessel has onboard laboratories, underwater robotic and digital camera capabilities, a excessive efficiency computing system and the flexibility to trial and implement new instruments for capability growth and ocean analysis.

Benefits

• To cowl journey and mission associated prices, the Society will award grants of up to $20,000 USD to chosen analysis, conservation and/or expertise initiatives.
• Awardees will even be a part of the Explorer Community as National Geographic Explorers and have entry to alternatives for coaching, capability growth and community constructing.

Eligibility

• Open to early profession scientists with expertise in marine sciences and the flexibility to lead ship-based mostly oceanographic science, deep sea analysis and/or different exploratory analysis with restricted steering. They outline an “Early Career” skilled as somebody who’s wanting to set up themselves higher of their area, and/or these in search of mentorship from others of their area and past.
• This funding alternative is open to candidates over the age of 18. Note that people who’re already National Geographic Explorers can not apply.
• Funding requests for this chance may be up to $20,000 USD. Projects may be up to one yr in size and the fieldwork should happen in 2026.
• In alignment with the outlined standards, chosen initiatives should happen within the recognized areas Falkor (too) will traverse in 2026 and be appropriate and/or aligned with at the least one of many overarching expedition initiatives slated for the yr. They will prioritize initiatives that align with overarching expedition initiatives slated for the yr throughout the following subfields: Biogeochemistry, Mid-Water Biodiversity Exploration, Physical Oceanography, Mesophotic Ecosystems, Marine Technology, and Underwater Seamounts.
• Candidates ought to suggest work that doesn’t require extra onboard crew members moreover current Falkor (too) workers who can help logistical and technical wants with onboard devices; they anticipate {that a} single berth can be obtainable for this mission. They will even prioritize candidates who reveal that they’d profit from entry to scientific infrastructure on Falkor (too) for which they usually wouldn’t have entry, and who’ve robust native networks that can additional mission impacts. 

Application

The National Geographic Society is accepting purposes for the Level I grants in help of the Schmidt Ocean Institute- National Geographic Society partnership. Full purposes are due by October 8, 2025, 11:59 p.m. EDT.

Click here to apply

For extra data, go to National Geographic Society Ocean Exploration & Discovery.